Town News Briefing

MANCHESTER -- Ten children were taken to Manchester Memorial Hospital as a precaution Thursday after they were jostled when the school bus they were in hit a snowbank.

The children sustained minor injuries in the incident, which occurred about 3 p.m., police said. The bus went up onto the snowbank as it turned a corner at East Middle Turnpike and Benton Street, police said.

It could not be learned Thursday night what school the students attended.

Areawide

Magnet School Fair

To Offer Information

Area parents and students will be able to learn more about Hartford's 10 interdistrict magnet schools at a magnet school fair Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon at the Pathways to Technology Magnet School at 184 Windsor Ave. in Windsor.

Representatives of the magnet schools will distribute brochures and applications and answer questions. The deadline to apply for the city magnet schools is Feb. 18. Information and applications are also available at the Hartford public schools' magnet program office, 960 Main St., fifth floor, weekdays from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. and online at http://www.hartfordschool-s.org/parents/home.html.

At least 30 percent of the students attending magnet schools come from suburban school districts in 32 Hartford area towns; the rest come from Hartford. There is no tuition fee, and transportation is provided by the Hartford School District.

To reach the magnet program office call 860-695-8839, Monday through Friday, between 8:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.

Areawide

State Police Offer Citizens Academy

TOLLAND -- State police and the School Resource Officer Program will conduct a Citizens Police Academy at Troop C in Tolland for interested high school seniors.

The goal of the Citizens Police Academy is to teach students interested in law enforcement the responsibilities of state troopers, situations they face on a daily basis and the training requirements.

The class will meet for nine weeks for three hours on Wednesdays, beginning in April. Seniors from Ellington, E.O. Smith, Somers, Stafford and Tolland high schools who are interested can contact their school resource officer and submit an application. A limited number of students will be selected from each school.

For more information, call Trooper Robert O'Connor at Troop C at 860-896-3231.

South Windsor

Area Woman Charged

With Burglary, Assault

SOUTH WINDSOR -- A 33-year-old South Windsor woman told police she was sleeping on her couch Thursday when she was awakened at about 2 a.m. by a woman sitting on top of her trying to remove a diamond ring from her finger.

The woman struggled with the intruder, who then hit her on the head several times with a fitness weight before fleeing.

The woman told police she had known the intruder for just over a year, but the person had no reason to be in her Main Street home.

Police arrested Debra Quail, 33 of 25-J Amato Drive, on charges of first-degree burglary, first-degree assault, risk of injury to a child and other charges.

Quail told police she had a 14-month-old child who was staying with a relative, but police later found the child alone in bed at Quail's home. Police contacted the state Department of Children and Families, who later turned the child over to Quail's mother.

The woman who was assaulted was treated for injuries at St. Francis Hospital and Medical and later released.<

Vernon

Downtown Association

Plans Benefit Concert

VERNON -- The Rockville Downtown Association is throwing a benefit concert called Acappella Slam 2005 on March 19 to support the association's revitalization activities.

The concert will feature the four collegiate a cappella groups The Conn-Men, Out of the Blue, The Accidentals and The Cardinal Sinners.

Acappella Slam 2005 will be at 7:30 p.m. in the performance hall of Vernon Senior Center on Park Place. The snow date is March 20. Tickets are $20 and are available at the RDA office on Park Place, Crystal Blueprint & Stationery, Vincent's Pharmacy and at rockvillect.com. Proceeds from the event will go toward future downtown revitalization projects.

For more information, call Luise Craige, executive director of the association, at 860-875-7439.

Manchester

Argument Over Food

Ends In Assault Charge

MANCHESTER -- A local man was arrested and charged with striking another man on the head with a crowbar, police said.

William Carvalho, 39, of 47 Cottage St., No. 5, was charged with second-degree assault after the attack late Tuesday night, police said.

Police said he struck Richard Munn during an argument over food. Munn had a serious cut to his left ear after the assault, police said.

In Superior Court in Manchester Wednesday, Carvalho's bail was set at $25,000. His next court date is March 8.

Tolland

Ribbon-Cutting Set

At New Restaurant

TOLLAND --A new restaurant is opening today and the public is invited to have complimentary coffee, tea and dessert.

The new European-style cafe, Heart & Soul Cafe, is at 384-E Merrow Road. The Tolland County Chamber of Commerce board of directors will be present at the ribbon-cutting ceremony at 9 a.m. There will be musical entertainment 6-9 p.m.

For more information, visit www.heartnsoulcafe.com or call 860-871-9990.

CROMWELL

Man Faces ChargesIn 2 Store Robberies

CROMWELL -- Police on Tuesday arrested a man suspected of robbing two Dollar Stores during the summer.

Michael Judd, 32, of East Hampton, was charged with two counts of first-degree robbery and two counts of fourth-degree larceny. He was arraigned Tuesday in Superior Court in Middletown and is being held with bail set at $25,000.

Police said Judd robbed the Family Dollar Store on Main Street on Aug. 25 and the Dollar Tree Store on Shunpike Road on Aug. 31.

In both cases, he displayed a pistol, threatened employees and emptied the cash registers, police said. No one was hurt in either robbery.

Police said Judd had been arrested by Wethersfield police in September after receiving a report that someone was peering through the windows of a motel where he was staying.

Police said they found evidence in his motel room that linked him to the robberies as well as to robberies in Rocky Hill.

MIDDLETOWN

Group Exceeds Mark In Grant Donations

MIDDLETOWN -- With its latest round of grants, the Middlesex County Community Foundation has eclipsed the $500,000 mark in donations to area nonprofit groups since 1997.

The foundation in the past eight years has funneled hundreds of grants to programs in the arts, education, human services and the environment. The money has also gone to aid vulnerable people and help foster safer, healthier neighborhoods in Middletown, along the Shoreline and throughout the Connecticut River Valley.